[End Act 1] Chief Petty Officer Annamae Barberra - Stoleded then Punisheded
Wil Ukinix
((Inside Hovan Military Command Center))
(OOC: This is a repost “plus”, for convenience for everyone in this scene I’ve kept the same tags from my last post so that you don’t have to stitch them together - there is an OOC below indicating where I have pushed things on a little)
Nevark: If I may ask, is that part of the reason you didn’t wish to communicate with us?
oO Nice one counsellor, gottim! Oo
Ser: Yes. ::Turning around to face them again:: In our limited interactions with other spacefaring species we’ve found the majority to be… similarly hazardous – to themselves and to others.
oO Oh. Oo
Iko: There are other people that we've met that appreciate being left alone. We like to have an open line of communication just in case anything… goes wrong.
Barberra: I promise, we don’t bite.
The Fleetmarshall was turning out to be a tough nut to crack. Or a tough moustache to trim, maybe.
And why was he seemingly so interested in their mouths? Did he want to kiss them or something?
Ser: Perhaps not. But I have seen the scans of your ships’ weapons systems. They are formidable. Are you sure that this approach doesn’t, perhaps, provoke a certain amount of danger to yourselves? To those you deal with?
(OOC: As per my OOC email, just removing unanswered Nevark response tags for now)
Barberra: The Vulcans, a member species of the Federation, have a saying - “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations”. Counsellor Nevark is from the planet Betazed - check out the colour of her eyes - whereas, Commander Iko here is from Earth but is a hybrid human-Klingon. I’m also from Earth, but I’m a boring old human without any special powers. But together? We can achieve anything, like... ::eyes up, thinking:: like, say, helping two close together worlds slowly integrate with each other. ::Shrug:: Just saying.
Ser: I see.
oO “I see”? I make a big spiel, and *that’s* the response? Oo
Barberra: What else can you show us on your tour? Sensor technology? Weather control systems? Games room?
Ser: I gather you are eager… However, there is not much else I have received permission to share with you. If you’d like, we can visit the hangar, where you can see some of our vessels more closely than your preliminary scans would likely have allowed. I’m afraid I can’t bring you onto any of them though. For security reasons.
Iko: She's very enthusiastic.
Annamae nodded while opening her eyes a little, as the neckless moustached man grunted. As he turned to lead them to another area, Annamae glanced at Bec and Layla, as if to say, oO what is with this guy. Oo
Ser: And yet, she comes from a society that has already developed this technology – examining us and the Uwezo from a scientific point of view… from on high. The Uwezo do not have this experience or perspective which makes them dangerous.
They were being lead to what looked like a big area, like a shuttlebay.
Barberra: But they need the experience so that they can learn not to be dangerous.
Bec raised a hand, to make a point.
Iko: Look, whether you like it or not, the Uwe are developing warp. If they're not saying “hi” tomorrow, they will be next week. You can't bloody stop it. So either you gotta be a kind neighbour and show them some of the ropes, or become an enemy and have tensions between you and the Uwe for the next hundred-million years.
Moustache man’s eyes narrowed, which would have made Annamae a little cautious if it wasn’t for the man’s impressive moustache. It was a masterpiece.
Barberra: Classic xenology right there. Boom.
Bec simply shrugged in agreement to continue her point.
Iko: So what if they don't know crap? The Federation's founders were all dumbarses back 350 or so years ago, and there'd be a time in Hovan history where you were too. We grow and we learn. It's all part of life.
Ser: Yes, undoubtedly the Uwezo will eventually learn. Our concern is that they will realize the quickest way to grow is to take. And then, who will they come for?
Was that assessment based on their intel, or just on gut feel - or a pre-emptive xenophobia that had been instilled culturally in the Hovans?
Ser: How did your people develop warp technology anyways? What led you to your present state of self-reported peace and harmony?
Barberra: Oh, short version, for Earth we had a guy, Zefram Cochrane, that “invented” it. Then some Vulcans sailed past and landed, and said “hello”.
Iko: Earth had just come out of a world war. It was in ruin. Divided.
And just as Annamae was about to continue the story--
Ser: Then perhaps that is what the Uwezo need… Their culture is certainly divided, and their planet is speeding towards ruin. It might teach them a thing or two about consequences.
Barberra: Uh- no-one *needs* war, Fleetmarshall.
Iko: The Uwe are just getting into space, they're not gonna be perfect! Were you?
Annamae click-pointed again.
Ser: My people have our own saying: “Self-sufficiency is the zenith of competence.” The point being, we prefer to avoid things ‘going wrong’ in the first place. Perhaps that means our progress is slower, and our engines less powerful, and our friends less numerous than yours – but we have achieved all that we have without internal conflict, without tragedy, and without the need for anyone else’s help.
And then Sir Ser let the point hang, like a quiet exclamation mark that was intended to embarrass you. Annamae furrowed her eyebrow for a moment, then lifted a finger to protest.
Barberra: Wait, that’s only one story. Each Federation member has their own unique one, some similar to yours.
Iko: Response
Ser: Then perhaps there is nothing more for us to discuss on this matter. Let us leave the Uwezo behind for now – leave that for your Diplomats and Chancellor Ril to debate… ::Stopping in front of a very large door, not unlike that on an airplane hangar:: Ah. Here we are. ::Inserting his security key:: Now, I will show you a craft which I have a great deal of personal affection for – our long-range stealth reconnaissance vessel, capable of scattering incoming scans and appearing nearly invisible to…
((Hangar))
As they entered, words suddenly escaped Sir Ser, super moustache man. Annamae took a few steps in, and placed her hands on her hips, studying the five ships that were in the massive drydock-like facility. She noted the “harsher” lines of the ships compared to Starfleet vessels, a sign of the point of their progress.
Iko: Response
She turned around to see that Sir Ser Sir was befuddled for some reason.
Barberra: Is something the matter, Fleetmarshall Ser... Sir?
The man spun around, before almost shouting words at the uniformed Starfleet crew...
Ser: What is going on here? Two of our stealth ships are… missing.
... seemingly accusing them ...of stealing their ships? oO Cute. Oo
Iko: Response
Barberra: Fleetmarshall, I can assure you, we wouldn’t steal two of your ships and then turn up here asking to see your games rooms.
Ser/Iko: Response
Barberra: One moment.
She tapped her combadge.
Barberra: =/\= Chief Petty Officer Barberra to the Independence-B. =/\=
Tenille: =/\= Ensign Tenille here Chief, go ahead. =/\=
Barberra: =/\= Ensign, two Hovan vessels, long-range stealth reconnaissance vessels, have gone missing from their military command facility. Any chance you can, you know, do a sweep for them? =/\=
Tenille: =/\= Acknowledged Chief Barberra, standby. =/\=
(OOC: Tenille tells Wil, who then contacts Keehani to tell her that the Indy has detected the vessels)
Ser/Iko: Response
Annamae pulled her tricorder from her holster.
Barberra: Sir, in the meantime if you’ll allow me, with my tricorder device I may be able to track down what happened. Or at least get some clues.
She deliberately flared her nostrils and sniffed twice for dramatic effect.
Ser/Iko: Response
(OOC: New part starts here)
When a group of uniformed soldiers entered the hangar, and pointed their projectile weapons at Annamae, Bec and Layla, she was so very tempted to press her combadge with a “three to beam up!” emergency message to the Shelby. But that action alone may have made them discharge their weapons, and have her eating... whatever their ammunition was made of.
Kul: Do not move! One of you have violated Hovan laws! Fleetmarshall, which one was it?
Ser: Response
The leader of the grey uniformed group, with a just as impressive moustache, moved towards Annamae, lifting his weapon and aiming it at her face.
Barberra: Better in the neck. You know, ::slight gesture towards her own neck:: this thing.
Iko/Ser: Response
Kul: You are being detained for unauthorised use of an unregistered, advanced communications device. What is your name?
Barberra: Envoy Keehani Ukinix.
Iko/Ser: Response
Barberra: ::Tuts:: fiiiiine. Annamae Barberra, Chief Petty Officer. The pettiest in Starfleet. ::To Bec:: Take my tricorder?
Iko/Ser: Response
Kul: And we shall add misrepresenting your identity to a military officer to your accusations.
Another soldier approached, held her arms straight above her head, then fastened her wrists with some sort of metallic-elastic device that stretched up and bound them tight.
Barberra: Ow! ::Looking up at device:: Amazing!
The soldiers then led her away out of the hangar.
Barberra: It’s hard to walk like this. I feel like a tree.
Iko/Ser: Response
Tags/End Scene for Annamae...(or is it?)
==========================================
Chief Petty Officer Annamae Barberra
Science Specialist
Amity Outpost
V239511WU0